Give me Roses While I live inspired card

Wonderful things of folks are said
When they have passed away
Roses adorn the narrow bed
Over the sleeping clay

Give me the roses while I live
Trying to cheer me on
Useless are flowers that you give
After the soul is gone

Kind words are useless when folks lie
Cold in a narrow bed
Don't wait till death to speak kind words
Now should the words be said

Let us not wait to do good deeds
Till they have passed away
Now is the time to sow good seeds
While here on earth we stay

This song was partially the inspiration for this card. I am part of a women's fellowship group that meets at our church to help encourage eachother with life's issues, but especially losing weight. One of the older ladies in my group lost her mother and husband at the same time, about a week apart over a year ago. I got to thinking how lonely she must feel and I wondered how often someone told her that she was loved. I am going to send her this card, because I do love her and she is a special lady to me.

I used the Love sentiment from a Mark's Finest Papers set that will be released this month called, Love Remains.

The challenge at SCS for ways to use it was to use a sticker on our card/project. Below is the picture of the sticker before I added the coffee filter flowers.

Close up view of the coffee filter flowers.

Here is the song sung by The Carter Family:

I have decided to Follow Jesus

This week's WAW - Word Art Wednesday, was a paraphrase of Ruth 1:16 "Where you lead I will follow." My first thoughts were to the old song

"I have decided to Follow Jesus."

"Though I may wonder, still I will follow.

The world behind me the cross before me.

Though none go with me, still I will follow.

No turning back, no turning back"

I also really like the words to the hymn that I have as the second panel. It is called "I will follow thee" by James L. Elginburg. It was written in 1886. It says

" I will follow thee, my savior, whersoe'er my lot may be; where thou goest I will follow, yes my Lord, I'll follow thee.

Though the road be rough and stormy, trackless as the foaming sea; thou hast trod this way before me, and I gladly follow thee.

Though 'tis lone and dark and dreary, cheerless though my path may be, if thy voice I hear before me, fearlessly I'll follow thee.

Though I meet with tribulation, sorely tempted though I be; I remember thou wast tempted and rejoice to follow thee.

Though thou leadest through afflictions, poor, forsaken though I be; thou wast destitute, afflicted and I only follow thee.

I will follow thee my Savior, thou didst shed thy blood for me;

and though all men should forsake thee, by thy grace I'll follow thee.

God has set up a specific path for each one of us to follow. My path isn't the same as yours. But one thing I have learned is that each path has smooth areas, and difficult areas. I have friends this week who are going through one of the roughest areas on their path. They lost their 6 month old granddaughter in an apartment fire. The aunt of the little baby was saying yesterday how no one knows how she feels. My first thought was that she is right. We each have our own problems. We can sympathize with eachother, and we may go through similar things, but when it comes down to it, each of us has our own cross to pick up and follow Jesus. The comforting thought to me is that while no one knows what I am feeling or going through, God does. I thought of the old poem about the footprints. Where there were two sets of footprints and then one set of footprints, and it was during the one set of footprints that God was carrying them. I am thankful that God goes with me down my path and that He carrys me when I am too weak to make it on my own. My last thought was that each of our paths may be different but for Christians our paths all have the same destination... heaven.

My card uses this weeks scs sketch challenge, and scs ways to use it challenge. If you look at the paper behind the hymn, you will see something new for me. It is the digital paper that I won from last week's WAW sponsor Gail from Shabby Cottage Studio. It was a black and white cream background, but I made it green with my ink spray smash technique. I had so much fun making these coffee filter flowers. I also had fun using a stamp in a different way. I used the icicle stamp from Mark's Finest Papers set called Ice and snow. I turned the icicles upside down and stamped them on the top panel with light green ink. I then ink spray smashed the panel. I think it kinda looks like grass.

American Made collage

I made this card for 2 challenges: Ways to Use it Challenge to use stars. and Stampin' B's challenge to make a collage card. I used the images from Mark's Finest Papers set called AMERICAN MADE. If you had told me a couple of years ago that I would be making collage cards, I would have laughed. They were extremely hard for me to make. They are getting a little easier. I just try to think of different textures. On this card the lace, corderoy, raffia, twine and charm add a lot of different texture. Sewing also helps add to the collage feeling.

Thank you card

I made some pink flowers for Thursday's ways to use it challenge. I used my LAYERS OF COLOR art stencil to stencil the vine to the plaid dp. I glued the flowers in the corner and added a butterfly from Mark's Finest Papers set called Daffodil and Anise. Sentiment is from Mark's Finest Papers set called Thankful for you.

This card made me SMILE

The ways to use it challege at SCS today was to make a card with a SMILE theme. I printed this Smiling Quote using my computer. I sprayed the paper with glimmer mist, that added a little bit of gold with the green. I made another latice and added some gold roses. The butterfly is a stampabilities butterfly. It has been sitting un-inked for over a year. I stamped it with black stazon and colored the red with prisma colored pencils and added gold ep with an embossing pen.

Close up of butterfly.

Close up of roses and trellis.

Close up of the sentiment. You can see the spots of gold if you look carefully.

I Trace the Rainbow through the rain...

Close up of butterfly.

The ways to use it challenge today at SCS was to make a card with a rainbow. The StampinB's challenge was to make a card inspired by a song. This is the result of both of those challenges. I made my rainbow by taking acetate and scribbling markers side by side. I then took a coffee filter and sprayed it with water. I then carefully laid the filter on top of the acetate. The markers slowly mixed giving me this great rainbow. When it was dried I printed this hymn onto it. I picked this hymn because of the line "I trace the rainbow through the rain".

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go (George Mattheson pub 1882.)

O LOVE that will not let me go, I rest my weary sould in thee; I give thee back the life I owe, that in thine ocean depths its flow may richer fuller be.

O LIGHT that followest all my way I yield my flickering torch to thee; my heart restores its borrowed ray, that in thy sunshine's blaze its day may brighter, fairer be.

O JOY that seekest me through pain, I cannot clos my heart to thee. I TRACE THE RAINBOW THROUGH THE RAIN, and feel the promise is not vain, that morn shall tearless be.

O CROSS that liftest up my head, I dare not ask to fly from thee. I lay in dust life's glory dead, and from the ground ther blossoms red Life that shall endless be.

George Mattheson the author was engaged to be married and at the age of 20 started going blind. His fiance left him because she didn't want to spend her life with a blind man. After he was completely blind his sister took care of him. He wrote this song in 5 mins the night before his sister was to get married. This hymn was based on the following scripture:

But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
Psalm 13:5

Brighten the corner...

Brighten the Corner Where You Are

Do not wait until some deed of greatness you may do. Do not wait to shed your light afar. To the many duties ever near you, now be true. Brighten the corner where you are. Just above are clouded skies that you may help to clear. Let not narrow self your way debar. Though into one heart alone may fall your song of cheer. Brighten the corner where you are. Home for all your talent you may find a need, Here reflect the bright and Morning Star. Even from your humble hand, The Bread of Life my feed. Brighten the corner where you are. Brighten the corner where you are, Brighten the corner where you are. Someone far from harbor you may guide across the bar; brighten the corner where you are.

The words to this old hymn were going through my head this morning after a friend posted the title as her status on Facebook. I looked up the hymn and was really touched by the part of the verse that I have in bold letters. It so describes my desire to use my talents to praise God and to encourage others. So many times Satans whispers to me that I can't do anything... I can not cure diseases, fix world hunger, manage the economy... so many things I can't do. Then I am reminded that what I can do is... make a card, write a note... send some mail so that someone has a happy moment at their mailbox.

Today's challenge was to use a gradient ink pad. I didn't have one so I stamped several colors of ink onto a sheet of acetate. I then stamped my heart onto the acetate and then onto the paper. The result was a little softer and faded than if I had inked it directly. I stamped over the top with versamark and heat embossed UTEE. I printed the hymn onto green cardstock. I added lace, ribbon, buttons, and a quilled heart. The base of the card was embossed with my cuttlebug using the dotted swiss folder. I wanted the dots to compliment the dots on the ribbon.

Tea Time

This is what I had in mind when I made my card yesterday for the sketch challenge. I wanted a pocket to slide a little tea bag into. This card was a remake and I love how this one turned out. I liked yesterdays card but I love today's card. So similar yet different.

Going Green

The Ways to use it challenge at Splitcoast Stampers was to make a card with green on it. I used 12 different green markers on acetate to do the ink spray and smash technique. When that was dry I took my LAYERS OF COLOR Natural Flourish Stencil and stenciled it with light and dark green inks. I then took my sewing machine and stitched along the stenciled edges. I then added handmade roses and lace. I stitched the vellum to the card. I used a LAYERS OF COLOR flutterescent butterfly with black stazon ink and colored it with shades of blue.

If Jesus Goes with Me

This card was a statement of faith for me. I made it for two splitcoast challenges. The first: a ways to use it challenge to use a frame, and the second: a Friday free for all challenge to paper piece. I wanted to make my card with a vintage feeling. I printed the hymn "If Jesus Goes With Me." from the Timeless Truth's Library They have hymns that are public domain so that you can print them and use them with out copyright infringement. I printed it on white printer paper and it needed some distressing. I first swiped tan ink over the top. I then took matches and burned the edges. I then took tea bags and let them stain the paper in an un-even pattern. The frame was a chip board frame that has been in my stash for a couple of years. I covered it with paper from K&Company that had a vintage look. I made little hand made roses to compliment the roses on the designer paper. I punched them out of cream cardstock and watercolored them with pink and peach colors. The vellum quote of taking ONE DAY AT A TIME really spoke to what I wanted this card to be. I knew I wanted to use these two hat pins with pink tops. I added lace, from an old curtain. I used pewter brads to hold the layers together. I paper pieced the butterfly. I stamped it so that each wing would have a rose on it. I seldom make my butterflies this way, I usually just color them. I want to share the first verse and chorus to the hymn that I used: "It may be in the valley, where countless dangers hide; it may be in the sunshine that I in peace abide; but this one thing I know, if it be dark or fair, If Jesus is with, I'll go anywhere! If Jesus goes with me, I'll go anywhere! 'tis heaven to me, wher-e'er I may be, if He is there! I count it a privilege here, His cross to bear, If Jesus goes withme, I'll go ANYWHERE"

Lace Apron

I had a lot of fun with this little girl. I paper pieced her dress and hat and added lace for her apron. It made me think of when I was little and made paper dolls. I ran the oval through the cuttlebug and distressed the embossing. The pumpkin is popped up on a piece of craft foam.

Ransom - Pun

This card combines 3 challenges... sketch, ways to use it and free for all. The ways to use it challenge this week was to make a ransom note like card. I used my computer to make the letters in all different fonts and sizes. The free for all challenge was to make a card that had a pun. I am planning on sending this card to my sister who has been very sick for awhile. I am going to write this in the inside " Let's leave on a vacation." It would be nice if the two of us could go on a vacation somewhere together, but she has 8 kids that she homeschools, and I have my 4 kids and job. Several months ago, we went on a virtual vacation to Hawaii. Who knows where we will go this time? I think it would be fun to go find a little bed and breakfast in the mountains where the two of us could sit and drink hot apple cider and enjoy the coming of Fall.

Isn't this little squirrel just the cutest? Especially since he is a nice one who isn't going to try and steal birdseed from my feeders. I love to watch the squirrels as the jump from branch to branch, run circles around the trees, and especially when they do the tight rope walk across the streets on the telephone wires. This squirrel, the leaves and the basket of leafs is a sneak peek at a soon to be released set by Mark's Finest Papers called Autumn Fun. I used the leaves from the set to stamp with versamark ink on the panels as well as the envelope. I then did ink spray smash on them. When the paper dried, I used the same leaves to stamp again on the paper with brown ink. This photo doesn't do this card justice, because it was so hard to photograph the versamark leaves. You can seem in real life though. I masked the little squirrel and stamped the leaf basket. The leaf basket and squirrel were colored with prisma colored pencils.

Butterfly Birthday cards with Buttons

Today's Ways to Use it challenge was to use Buttons on our cards. I made the background paper with green ink, and a leafy flower stamp. I then Ink-Sprayed-Smashed it with blue and turquoise markers. The top card used Layers of Color butterflies, and Joyful Noise set. I stamped the keyboard on ribbon and I stamped the music notes on the button. I used a rubon for the butterflies trail. I used the Happy Birthday from MFP's Daffodil and Anise set. For the bottom card, I stamped the butterfly from MFP's Daffodil and Anise set along with the sentiment and the Anise flowers at the bottom. I added little paper flowers and buttons and pearls.

Common Orange Sulfur Butterfly

Yesterday's ways to use it challenge was to stick it. I chose to make a porcelain paper butterfly using my Layers of Color butterfly stamp. I colored it to look like a comon orange sulfur butterfly. I found this buttefly corpse in the parking lot of our McDonalds. It was in really good condition considering... I brought it to my office to be my model for my butterfly. It really helped having it side by side with the one I was coloring. I made a box for it using my favorite origami box technique. I used ink-spray-smashed paper on the box. I also used my Layers of Color art stencil on the box. I made hand made flowers. I added a twist this time by adding yellow fringe to the centers of my flowers.

Tilt Card

The technique lovers challenge at SCS this week was to make a tilt card. The ways to use it challenge at SCS was to make a card that moved. This card is for both challenges. I used this tutorial at SCS to make my Layers of Color butterfly on the front of my card tilt. I added a spiral pop up to the center to make my inside Layers of Color butterflies pop up and fly. Here is the tutorial for the spiral pop up.

Waterfall card

I made this waterfall card for the Ways to Use it challenge to make a moving card. I love this video that Dawn made showing how to make a waterfall card. When I was learning how to make this type of card, I read several tutorials, but nothing made sense until I saw her video. I used Clearly Inspired Brushed Florals on the waterfall, and on the pull tab I used Layers of Color butterflies.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord

As we get ready for the 4th of July, my prayer is that our nation will once again choose God as our Lord!

Zentangle

The Ways to Use it challenge today was to use black ink and make a zentangle. What a challenge. I decided to use my Layers of Color "Joyful Noise" set. I doodled dots and small music notes. I don't know if it qualifies as a zentangle, but I like how it turned out. Another music card for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge.

My cards this week

I have had a crazy busy week at work this week, so I'm just now being able to upload these cards to my blog.

This was my card that I made on Monday for the TLC for piercing. I pierced the lace panel.

This is for the MMTPT party at the Kentucky derby. I knew right away that I would make a card based on the Dan Fogelburg song "Run for the Roses"

Wednesday's sketch challenge. I drew my lilies of the valley image and turned it into a digital one. I made some more pierced lace.

Thursday WT challenge was to mix patterned paper. I mixed floral and fern paper. I also used the same sketch from Wednesday!

All these cards also were for the Stampin Sisters in Christ challenge to use flowers on our cards. That wasn't much of a challenge for me because most of my cards do have flowers. But I did enjoy thinking about how God makes each of the flowers in His garden. Each one is unique and each one is His special creation.